Accumulated and lost!

I have to lose some weight. The visit to the cardiologist confirmed it – 20 pounds slowly accumulated since my first visit to him nearly 4 years ago – contrary to people saying how slim and fit I look. Others know the truth – namely my wife, Vicki! It has got to stop and so I have 6 months, before the next appointment, in which to apply some more discipline and lose that unnecessary and dangerous weight (it correlates to an increase in blood pressure, which is not good). My resting pulse rate is good, but then medication is controlling that. I asked if the medication also made me somewhat sleepy and tired but no – that is due to lack of quality sleep (I had hoped to just cast out a demon or two!). And so we have closed the windows to shut out neighbours security lights and were reminded that if we are to get up early then that means early to bed. Saying this was a health ‘wake-up’ call doesn’t seem to fit but you know what I mean. I’m getting plenty of exercise – walking and cycling and will perhaps increase that but I have to watch the food intake, even though by others standards I’m not a great eater but occasionally (?) forbidden items get through my guard!

There are other things that appear to need discipline too. We were talking about the best use of my time at the computer – so many e-mails, so many interesting research articles, so many blogs to keep up with but does it all lead to not enough time to DO? And it’s hard to get as much done in the tropics (we were warned before we came). A student saying came to mind: “those who can’t do, teach and those who can’t teach, lecture”. Oh dear!

There are also some things that have been lost that ought not to have been lost. I can’t find an article printed out for Vicki’s benefit which I now need for some teaching that I want to give, and I can’t remember where I sourced it from (a senior moment that has lasted!) There are piles of printed e-mails and such articles – some in the lounge , some in the study and some even in the bedroom, ‘filed’ wherever they were last being read. These are days of information overload and I’m going to have to devise a better method of reaching this more reputable quote – “Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.” – Sir Francis Bacon. I don’t think he had to cope with the internet!

I did talk about operating best on a disciplined foundation the other day!